Flavours

Kernel Flavours

This document aims to document the flavours which exist in each release and further to document any transitions between flavours you may need to make.

What is a Kernel Flavour?

It is impossible to build a single kernel for every occasion, any such configuration cannot be optimal for all use cases. As a result we offer a number of kernel variants for each release, these variants termed flavours. We commonly refer to those flavours using the flavour name, for example: generic, generic-pae, and server.

How do we choose which Flavours are supported in a release?

At the Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS) we will discuss the current flavours and their applicability. During this discussions we will make recommendations for additions to or removals from the supported flavours. Those recommendations feed into the development for that upcoming release.

Current Flavours

Below are the flavours as found in each release, for each there is a description of the likely use case for that flavour and where support is forthcoming; Distro (Ubuntu Kernel team) or Ports (community). Note for release which are no longer supported these are for information only.

Quantal

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop/Server use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop/Server use

Distro

armel

omap

Kernel for TI OMAP3 use

Distro

armhf

omap

Kernel for TI OMAP3 use

Distro

armhf

omap4

Kernel for TI OMAP4 use

Distro

armhf

highbank

Kernel for Calxeda Highbank use

Distro

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

Precise

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

generic-pae

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop/Server use

Distro

amd64

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

armel

omap

Kernel for TI OMAP3 use

Distro

armel

omap4

Kernel for TI OMAP4 use

Distro

armhf

omap

Kernel for TI OMAP3 use

Distro

armhf

omap4

Kernel for TI OMAP4 use

Distro

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports (likely to be dropped)

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

Oneiric

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

generic-pae

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use

Distro

amd64

server

Kernel optimised for Server use

Distro

amd64

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

amd64

xen-dom0

Kernel optimised for XEN dom0 use

Distro (To Be Confirmed)

armel

versatile

Kernel for QEMU use

Distro

armel

ti-omap4

Kernel for TI OMAP4 use

Distro (To Be Confirmed)

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

Natty

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

generic-pae

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use

Distro

amd64

server

Kernel optimised for Server use

Distro

amd64

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

armel

versatile

Kernel for QEMU use

Distro

armel

ti-omap4

Kernel for TI OMAP4 use

Distro

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

Maverick

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

generic-pae

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM, XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use

Distro

amd64

server

Kernel optimised for Server use

Distro

amd64

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN, and EC2 use

Distro

armel

versatile

Kernel for QEMU use

Distro

armel

omap

Kernel for Texas Instruments OMAP3 SOCs

Distro

armel

omap4

Kernel for Texas Instruments OMAP4 SOCs

Distro

armel

dove

Kernel for Marvell Dove SOCs

Distro

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

Lucid

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

generic-pae

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

386

Kernel optimised for i486 processors

Distro

i386

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use

Distro

i386

ec2

Kernel optimised for EC2 use

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use

Distro

amd64

server

Kernel optimised for Server use

Distro

amd64

preempt

Kernel optimised for low latency applications

Distro

amd64

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use

Distro

amd64

ec2

Kernel optimised for EC2 use

Distro

armel

versatile

Kernel for QEMU use

Distro

armel

imx51

Kernel for Freescale IMX51 SOCs

Distro

armel

dove

Kernel for Marvell Dove SOCs

Distro

armel

omap

Kernel for Texas Instruments OMAP3 SOCs

Distro

armel

st1-5

Kernel for QualComm ST1-5 SOCs

Distro

ia64

ia64

Kernel for Itanium CPUs

Ports

lpia

lpia

Kernel for Intel Low Power architecture systems

Ports

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

sparc

sparc64

Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Ports

sparc

sparc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Ports

Karmic

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (< 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

generic-pae

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use (>= 3.5GB of RAM)

Distro

i386

386

Kernel optimised for i486 processors

Distro

i386

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use

Distro

i386

ec2

Kernel optimised for EC2 use

Distro

amd64

generic

Default kernel optimised for Desktop use

Distro

amd64

server

Kernel optimised for Server use

Distro

amd64

virtual

Kernel optimised for KVM and XEN use

Distro

amd64

ec2

Kernel optimised for EC2 use

Distro

armel

imx51

Kernel for Freescale IMX51 SOCs

Distro

armel

dove

Kernel for Marvell Dove SOCs

Distro

ia64

ia64

Kernel for Itanium CPUs

Ports

lpia

lpia

Kernel for Intel Low Power architecture systems

Ports

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Ports

sparc

sparc64

Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Ports

sparc

sparc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Ports

Hardy

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

386

Distro

i386

generic

Distro

i386

server

Distro

i386

virtual

Distro

i386

rt

Ports

i386

xen

Ports

i386

openvz

Ports

amd64

generic

Distro

amd64

server

Distro

amd64

rt

Ports

amd64

xen

Ports

amd64

openvz

Ports

hppa

hppa32

Distro

hppa

hppa64

Distro

ia64

itanium

Distro

ia64

mckinley

Distro

lpia

lpiacompat

Distro

lpia

lpia

Distro

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Distro

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Distro

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Distro

sparc

sparc64

Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Distro

sparc

sparc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Distro

Dapper

Arch

Flavour

Description

Support

i386

386

Distro

i386

686

Distro

i386

k7

Distro

i386

server

Distro

i386

server-bigiron

Distro

amd64

amd64-generic

Distro

amd64

amd64-k8

Distro

amd64

amd64-server

Distro

amd64

amd64-xeon

Distro

hppa

hppa32

Distro

hppa

hppa32-smp

Distro

hppa

hppa64

Distro

hppa

hppa64-smp

Distro

ia64

itanium

Distro

ia64

itanium-smp

Distro

ia64

mckinley

Distro

ia64

mckinley-smp

Distro

powerpc

powerpc

Single CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Distro

powerpc

powerpc-smp

Multiple CPU 32 bit powerpc kernel

Distro

powerpc

powerpc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit powerpc kernel

Distro

sparc

sparc64

Single CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Distro

sparc

sparc64-smp

Multiple CPU 64 bit sparc kernel

Distro

Flavour Transitions

Over time we have changes the flavours supported merging and splitting support into various flavours. This means that on upgrade it is sometimes necessary to change which kernel flavour you use for a specific use case. The tables below include the major transitions and aim to help selection of the appropriate flavour. Note that where at all possible a sensible default will be applied during upgrade so generally no manual intervention should be required. Also note that upgrades are only supported from the previous release (plus the previous LTS for an LTS release).

Maverick -> Natty

None

Lucid -> Maverick

Arch

Existing Flavour

Replacement Flavour

Description

i386

ec2

virtual

EC2 support is now merged with mainline and into our main virtual kernels

amd64

ec2

virtual

EC2 support is now merged with mainline and into our main virtual kernels

i386

prempt

NONE

No longer supported

amd64

prempt

NONE

No longer supported

Karmic -> Lucid

None

Hardy -> Lucid

Arch

Existing Flavour

Replacement Flavour

Description

i386

server

generic-pae

The need for a desktop variant utilising PAE triggered server to be subsumed and replaced by this new flavour

Kernel/Dev/Flavours (last edited 2012-09-19 19:03:51 by c-67-171-184-21)